August 7-14

[Fishfried]

Our third trip and had a great relaxing time! This year we had a direct flight and loved it. This time of the year is HOT and humid, much more than Oct. & Nov. when we have visited previously. We stayed on the beach all day long and there was nearly always a breeze and of course we got in the water when we started simmering in our own juices from the blazing sun. We chose Club Yebo to save a few bucks, we stayed at Playa Palms the last two years. What a great and friendly staff they have there. The construction we have observed on the Taj next door was finally finished, WOW that place ended up to be bad ass! So no noise from that...but we got to listen to a diesel generator, chain saw and whatever pneumatic device that is to make the holes for the upright posts all day long while on the beach as they are building the "Rustic Pier". The noise wasn't that bad really- we got used to it. The new beach was a trip, big and wide! We asked a couple times to move the umbrella closer to the water since there is a slight hill between the hotel and water so while in a chair you could not see the water. Of course this is not a problem, the kind folks at Playa Palms are very accommodating. The water was a bit stained in front there, water coming in from an underground pipe that I assume is somehow related to the construction and the construction itself. We walked down the beach just past the lighthouse for clearer water to enter. We have brought down a float tube and man is that relaxing! I spoke to three people who all told me the three piers will be equally spaced from there to the ferry pier. The fishermen said that it is way to tall for their pangas. I did go fishing again this year, not with Edy Pena like previously, he has sold his boat and is not fishing anymore. I fished with Chino and had a great time, he was Edy's first mate when I fished last year. I brought my own gear and had a ball! I took my catch to a local sushi joint and they prepared some wonderful rolls, sashimi and nigiri for us, server and sushi chef there were knowledgeable and gracious. We had unfortunately just a couple good experiences while dining out, the norm was service being absolutely horrible and food mediocre and these were places we had been while in Playa previously. We had a particularly bad seafood meal one night late in the week- service and all. So we stop at a bar on the way back to the hotel and I ask our wonderful server if she could recommended a place for us to have simple fried fish and ceviches. She offered to meet up with us the next day and sure enough she took us to El Pirata via air conditioned taxi. This is on 40th near Quinta Avenida? What a friendly gesture and this place was excellent! If we return to Playa we will go there every day! It is a seafood place. We rented a car for one day (Alamo $45 US VW JETTA) to go down to Akumal to snorkel and fish. The snorkeling was fine until we saw a massive turtle and that ended that. Kinda freaked Annie out, lots of turtles there. I walked down the beach and fished with a Cw crab lure and hooked a couple needle fish, blue runners and a bone fish but landed none of them. They pulled out some line and gave a good fight though. That is some beautiful area there around Akumal. We got a great pic of a stingray right just a foot or two from the shore, still we never do the shuffle . I am going to try to post some pics, it came out very clear surprisingly. We had a great and relaxing week. We had breakfast in our room and just had a sandwich for lunch usually, tried to spend as much time on the beach as possible. I did take a five mile run in the middle if the week in the morning starting about 8:30 going up the beach (away from the ferry pier) way past the beach clubs to around ?? I got off the beach and without the breeze from the ocean and with the heat coming off the pavement it got HOT! I went to the highway and zig zagged my way back to Constituyentes. The heat there is nothing like here in Indy...I guess I did have a few beers and quite a few shots the night before though probably didn't help.
A list of things I am glad I brought; 5 cans of sunblock (yes, we still got very tanned), fishing pole and lures, tupperware for guac, cooler backpack, filet knife, snorkle gear, flask for tequila, digipac underwater case for camera, beer coozies, polarized sunglasses (forgot mine last year).
A list of things we should have brought; chap stick with sunblock, external speaker for MP3 player.
I should add that I finally got over my fears of using my ATM card and used it in the airport and two other places. One machine gave me 11.55 pesos to the dollar and no receipt, that was on the 13th. (in front of the Blue Parrot the machine on the left) The one at the airport gave me 12.55 and the one near the cinema (on our way to Akumal) gave us 12.25. It took just a couple dollars in fees except the one at the airport which added on a third fee- for convenience maybe?

[sharkbait]

Isn't the "new" beach amazing???? We were down last February just after it was completed and I spent the whole week going WOW!!!! Couldn't get over the difference.

Somebody should have warned Annie about the Turtles in Akumal Bay (harmless ya know???). Good thing she didn't see the resident Barracuda that hangs out there.

[Rissask]

She offered to meet up with us the next day and sure enough she took us to El Pirata via air conditioned taxi. This is on 40th near Quinta Avenida? What a friendly gesture and this place was excellent! If we return to Playa we will go there every day! It is a seafood place.

Kool Fish? Great ceviche here...it is right on Fifth between 38th and 40th Calles.

(sorry, I was just confused...or is the name El Pirata...El Pirata is on the beach, near the main ferry pier downtown- or is this restaurant you are describing called that too? )

[snappysammy]

Originally Posted by Rissask

Kool Fish? Great ceviche here...it is right on Fifth between 38th and 40th Calles.

(sorry, I was just confused...or is the name El Pirata...El Pirata is on the beach, near the main ferry pier downtown- or is this restaurant you are describing called that too? )

different restaurant, riss, not far from kool fish, but not on fifth, but between fifth and tenth
pretty much a local seafood hangout, off the beaten track

[boobooss]

Originally Posted by sharkbait

Isn't the "new" beach amazing???? We were down last February just after it was completed and I spent the whole week going WOW!!!! Couldn't get over the difference.

Somebody should have warned Annie about the Turtles in Akumal Bay (harmless ya know???). Good thing she didn't see the resident Barracuda that hangs out there.

SWIMMING OUT INTO AKUMAL BAY ABOUT 4YEARS AGO I MET THE BARRACUDDA AFTER I SWAM THROUGH A HUGE SCHOOL OF FISH. SHE WAS LIKE A LOG IN THE WATER AND EYEING ME AS I WAS EYEING HER. MY HAIR ON THE BACK OF MY NECK STOOD UP AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A EXCELLENT TIME TO SWIM BACK TO SHORE AND I LOOKED BACK MORE THAN ONCE TO SEE IF SHE WAS GOING TO KILL ME! AT THE DIVE SHOP I TOLD THE PERSON THAT RAN IT ABOUT THE CUDDA . AND HE TOLD ME OH NOTHING TO FEAR SHES BEEN A RESIDENT HERE FOR A LONG TIME. TELL THAT TO WHAT WAS IN MY SWIM TRUNKS WHEN I GOT BACK ONSHORE

[sonofdob]

have seen a Barracuda almost everytime out in Akumal Bay...not sure if it's "the" Barracuda ...how would you know ...never seems to take notice of me though...sonofdob.

[sharkbait]

"Resident" Cuda in Akumal Bay is about 3-3 1/2 feet long. I've seen him every time out as well plus lots of pictures of him. I'm sure it is the same guy but would guess there are few others out there somewhere. Barry doesn't scare me either, I don't wear any jewelry or shiny things while snorkeling.

My first experience snorkeling with barracuda's was 9 years ago in the Florida Keys. We were snorkeling within a school of them, they were all around us. That was freaky and the water was rough that day as well. No jewelry allowed, they even had Kim take out her stud earrings before entering the water. Maybe that is why a single Cuda doesn't bother me.

Did have Barry come by about a foot in front of me when visibility was poor in Akumal Bay. Didn't notice him until he was right in front of my face That got the ole heart going for a bit.

Fried- Any pictures of your trip????? We love Pics!!!!!

[Fishfried]

I'm not having any luck attaching pics. I'll try again next week.

[Fishfried]

stingray pic

[Fishfried]

another try.

[Babaloo]

Originally Posted by Fishfried

another try.

Try uploading to Photobucket and post your photos from there.
Easy.

[Fishfried]

yes they are in Photobucket, just can't get them here.

[ewill]

I took this pic at Akumal in March 09. I turned around to get my wifes attention to show her, but she had already seen it and was nowhere in sight. I doubt she's ever swam so fast.

[bigdogmom]

I ended up creating an album here, uploading my photos to the album, then posting them. It worked great but I don't remember exactly how I did it!

[Babaloo]

Originally Posted by Fishfried

yes they are in Photobucket, just can't get them here.

There is nothing in your post that would indicate that you've pasted the Photobucket link into your post.

Copy the IMG Code and paste it into your post.